Saul’s Disobedience

1Afterward Samuel said vnto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee King ouer his people, ouer Israel: nowe therefore obey the voyce of the wordes of the Lord. 2Thus saith the Lorde of hostes, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, howe they laide waite for the in ye way, as they came vp fro Egypt. 3Nowe therefore goe, and sinite Amalek, and destroy ye all that perteyneth vnto them, & haue no compassion on them, but slay both man and woman, both infant and suckling, both oxe, and sheepe, both camell, and asse.

4And Saul assembled ye people, and nombred them in Telaim, two hundreth thousande footemen, and ten thousand men of Iudah. 5And Saul came to a citie of Amalek, and set watch at the riuer. 6And Saul said vnto the Kenites, Goe, depart, and get you downe from among the Amalekites, least I destroy you with them: for ye shewed mercie to all the children of Israel, when they came vp from Egypt: and the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7So Saul smote the Amalekites from Hauilah as thou commest to Shur, that is before Egypt, 8And tooke Agag the King of the Amalekites aliue, and destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the better sheepe, and the oxen, and the fat beasts, and the lambes, and all that was good, and they would not destroy them: but euery thing that was vile and nought worth, that they destroyed.

Samuel Denounces Saul

10Then came the worde of the Lord vnto Samuel, saying, 11It repenteth me that I haue made Saul King: for he is turned from me, and hath not performed my commandements; Samuel was mooued, and cryed vnto the Lord all night. 12And when Samuel arose early to meete Saul in the morning, one tolde Samuel, saying, Saul is gone to Carmel: and beholde, he hath made him there a place, from whence he returned, and departed, and is gone downe to Gilgal. 13Then Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said vnto him. Blessed be thou of the Lord, I haue fulfilled the commaundement of the Lord. 14But Samuel saide, What meaneth then the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare? 15And Saul answered, They haue brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheepe, and of the oxen to sacrifice them vnto the Lorde thy God, and the remnant haue we destroyed. 16Againe Samuel saide to Saul, Let me tell thee what the Lord hath saide to me this night; he said vnto him, Say on.

17Then Samuel saide, When thou wast litle in thine owne sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? For the Lord anointed thee King ouer Israel. 18And the Lord sent thee on a iourney, and saide, Goe, and destroy those sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them, vntill thou destroy them. 19Nowe wherefore hast thou not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde, but hast turned to the pray, and hast done wickedly in the sight of the Lord?

20And Saul saide vnto Samuel, Yea, I haue obeyed the voyce of the Lorde, and haue gone the way which the Lord sent me, & haue brought Agag the King of Amalek, and haue destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the people tooke of the spoyle, sheepe, and oxen, and the chiefest of the things which shoulde haue bene destroyed, to offer vnto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

22And Samuel saide, Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed? Beholde, to obey is better then sacrifice, and to hearken is better then the fatte of rammes.

23For rebellion is as the sinne of withcraft, and transgression is wickednesse and idolatrie. Because thou hast cast away the worde of the Lord, therefore hee hath cast away thee from being King.

Saul’s Confession

24Then Saul sayde vnto Samuel, I haue sinned: for I haue transgressed the commaundement of the Lord, and thy wordes, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voyce. 25Nowe therefore I pray thee, take away my sinne, and turne againe with mee, that I may worship the Lord. 26But Samuel saide vnto Saul, I will not returne with thee: for thou hast cast away the word of the Lorde, and the Lorde hath cast away thee, that thou shalt not be King ouer Israel. 27And as Samuel turned himselfe to goe away, he caught the lappe of his coate, and it rent. 28Then Samuel saide vnto him, The Lorde hath rent the kingdome of Israel from thee this day, and hath giuen it to thy neighbour, that is better then thou. 29For in deede the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent: for hee is not a man that hee should repent. 30Then he saide, I haue sinned: but honour mee, I pray thee, before the Elders of my people, and before Israel, and turne againe with mee, that I may worship the Lord thy God. 31So Samuel turned againe, and followed Saul: and Saul worshipped the Lord.

32Then saide Samuel, Bring yee hither to me Agag ye King of the Amalekites: and Agag came vnto him pleasantly, and Agag saide, Truly the bitternesse of death is passed. 33And Samuel sayde, As thy sworde hath made women childlesse, so shall thy mother bee childelesse among other women; Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

34So Samuel departed to Ramah, and Saul went vp to his house to Gibeah of Saul. 35And Samuel came no more to see Saul vntill the day of his death: but Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord repented that hee made Saul King ouer Israel.